On The Other Side
by The Killer Bunny
Summary: Sylverant is flourishing with the last successful Journey of Regeneration. Tethe'alla is now in decline. The oracle has appeared and Zelos Wilder, the Chosen of Tethe'alla must embark on his journey with his servant and best friend, Lloyd Irving.  Slash
1. Prologue

Hello all, and welcome! This is a plot I had been discussing with Miyavilurver. Go check out her awesome stories as well! I hope you all enjoy this fic. I'll be working hard!

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Once upon a time, there existed a giant tree that was the source of all mana. A war, however, caused this tree to wither away, and a hero's life was sacrificed in order to take its place. Grieving over the loss, the goddess disappeared unto the heavens. The goddess left the angels with this edict:_

_"You must wake me, for if I should sleep, the world shall be destroyed."_

_The angels bore the Chosen One, who headed towards the tower that reached up unto the heavens. And that marked the beginning of the regeneration of the world._

_-_

"Sshh… Stop crying… It's okay…" A deep horrified and scared voice spoke to the young four year old in his arms. The older man shook and trembled as he hurried away from the large monstrous corpse that used to be his wife. He held his son close, pressing the young boy's face in his shoulder so he wouldn't be able to see.

_"Mommy! Mommy!" the boy all but screamed as he gripped at the cloth of his father's shirt._

_"Don't cry… Don't cry…" The man gritted his teeth as he ran through the forest, doing his best to find a way out. "I'll protect you…"_

_The man ran as fast as he could and didn't stop until he reached the edge of the forest. By this time, the boy's cries were now small choking sobs. The man collapsed on the floor, relieved that they weren't being followed any longer. He fell to his knees, still holding the boy tightly. In one fist he held a small glowing sphere so tightly that his knuckles were white._

_"Daddy..?" The boy looked up at his father. "Daddy where's Mommy…?"_

_It took all his strength to smile at his child. "Mommy's coming a bit later, son. For now, you have to be with Daddy for a little while." He said softly. The young boy rubbed his eyes before nodding softly and sniffing a bit. But through the gentle crying that remained, the boy yawned and thankfully fell asleep a few minutes later._

_The man held his child close and cried softly and quietly. "Anna… Forgive me…" he whispered. "Forgive me for what I've done…"_

_A pair of bright blue wings appeared on the man's back and he slowly flew off, his son sleeping securely in his arms. The man was in a trance. The depression was so immense, that he became numb to everything around him._

_But the man knew one thing. This exsphere that he held in his hand. It had to be placed somewhere safe. Somewhere no one would look. It was all that was left of his wife. The man looked down at his son for a moment before a small spark was shown in his eyes. Yes. It was the only way…_

_"Don't worry, Lloyd. Everything will be fine…"_

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Please don't forget to review!


	2. The Oracle

"Lloyd! Lloyd!"

"I'm coming!" _Jeez, so troublesome!_

Lloyd Irving walked down the hall to the kitchen and looked inside before sighing. "Zelos. How many times have I told you to not touch anything in here?" he said, scolding, before he began cleaning up the broken eggs on the floor.

"I know how to cook! I've seen you do it a million times!" Zelos frowned, standing back as Lloyd cleaned up.

"Just be patient, Zelos. If you want breakfast, I'll make it. Just wait a minute." Lloyd sighed as he took out two new eggs from the fridge. The brunette immediately got to work. Zelos looked over Lloyd's shoulder as he cooked, something that Lloyd was used to. Lloyd would take one step to the side and the redhead behind him would follow suit. After years of working in the Wilder mansion, Lloyd had gotten used to the curious blue eyes looming over him all the time. But he didn't find it annoying really. In the beginning he did, but now, it was actually a bit endearing. Lloyd, with skillful fingers, finished Zelos' breakfast omelette. Made just the way the redhead liked it. Lloyd turned around and gave Zelos the plate.

"There. See what a little patience gets you?" Lloyd said with a slightly scolding tone. Zelos took the plate and flashed the smile that made every female within a mile radius swoon.

"Thanks, Lloyd. Are you going to make your breakfast now?" Zelos said as he watched the brunette walk over to the fridge and pour him a glass of juice.

"Not right now." Lloyd said, handing the glass to Zelos. "I have a few things to do."

"You should go ahead and eat now." Zelos said, nodding at his disguised order before he left the kitchen. Lloyd watched him go before sighing slightly. He smiled a bit and got some bread from the cupboard. His thoughts wandered back to the day that he first arrived at the Wilder mansion.

_"Master Zelos." Sebastian walked into the bedroom where a young boy with fiery red hair drew on the floor. The boy looked up and blinked seeing another small boy behind Sebastian's legs._

_"I would like you to meet Lloyd." Sebastian gently nudged Lloyd forward. "He'll be staying here at the mansion from now on. He'll be like your personal servant."_

_Lloyd looked at Zelos before looking down at the floor. When he glanced up again, Zelos was right in front of him. Those wide blue eyes stared at him for a moment before he smiled. Zelos gently grabbed the young brunette's hand. "Let's play."_

Zelos had always been nicer to him than Lloyd would have thought and as a result, they were very close. They were more like best friends rather than master and servant. When they were young, they played a lot together and Zelos never abused Lloyd like a bratty child and Lloyd was there with him through his life. Even when his mother died, Lloyd never really understood what was going on, but he didn't really want to know. As Zelos fell into a period of depression, Lloyd was there to comfort him when needed.

Nowadays, they sparred instead of played catch. Zelos even took Lloyd out on a date or two with a few girls, though the girls always loved Zelos better. It got to the point where Lloyd was convinced he was getting in the way, so he stayed at the mansion instead. He of course went out in the town once in a while to get groceries and supplies they needed. More often than not, if Zelos had nothing to do, he'd join Lloyd. The two were almost always together. The maids called them inseparable and just what Zelos needed. Not to mention that over the years with Zelos, Lloyd had become more confident in himself.

After breakfast, Lloyd cleaned up Zelos' room while the red head himself chatted to Lloyd about what his plans were for the day. Zelos leaned back on his chair, propping his feet up on a table as he watched Lloyd make his bed.

"We should go out for lunch today." Zelos grinned. "I'll invite over a few of my hunnies and we'll have a great time!"

Lloyd laughed slightly, a small blush creeping up his cheeks at the thought of Zelos' many girlfriends. "No, Zelos, its fine."

"Aw come on, Bud~" Zelos stood up and walked over, grabbing Lloyd from behind. "You never want to come to a group date with me!"

Lloyd's arms were pinned to his sides from Zelos' affectionate bear hug. "You know they all don't like me. It's just awkward!" he said, wiggling a bit to get out of the Chosen's grasp.

"I'll talk to them! Come on, please~?" Zelos turned Lloyd around and gave him a pair of his best puppy dog eyes.

"Zelos…" Lloyd looked at him before heaving a sigh and looking down. "Fine…"

"Yeah!" Zelos practically jumped for joy. "See you at lunch~!" he then ran out of the room. Lloyd watched this before sighing again, feeling like he made a mistake. Lloyd sat on Zelos' freshly made bed and looked down at his right hand. Slowly he took his glove off and looked at the exsphere mounted on the back of his hand. He stared at it for a bit before pulling his glove back on and hurrying out of the room. He moved to the back of the mansion. There hidden in the back of the garden was a small grave. It was well decorated and well maintained, though hidden from view.

"Hey, mom. Good morning." Lloyd said softly, picking up a nearby bucket and filling it with water from the fountain. He walked over and splashed some water on the grave before drying it off with a cleaning cloth he hung on his belt. Lloyd smiled. "Looks like I'm going to have to try again with Zelos and his girlfriends. I don't think this is going to turn out well, really. But I guess we'll see."

Lloyd sat in front of the grave for a bit before a bright light in the distance broke him from his thoughts. His eyes widened as the large pillar of light rose from the church next to the castle. Silence seemed to overtake the city of Meltokio for several seconds after it faded. Lloyd stood as he heard the ruckus and commotion in the city begin. He hurried into the mansion before arriving at the entrance hall of the Wilder mansion. Zelos stood there, looking out the window with a very serious look on his face.

"Zelos..?" Lloyd looked at him.

The redhead turned before flashing Lloyd a smile. A knock sounded on the door and Lloyd moved to open it. A couple of Palpal knights stood there.

"Chosen one! The oracle has shown itself! We will escort you!" one of them said as they stood at attention. Zelos looked at them before he nodded.

"Come on, Lloyd. Looks like we'll have to do something different for lunch today." The redhead put his hands behind his head as he walked to the door.

"Chosen one, only you and the priests are allowed in to receive the ora-"

"Lloyd, let's go! Oh and you should bring your swords too." Zelos patted his own sword on his hip.

Lloyd looked at him, then at the knights. "My swords? Okay. I'll be right back." He hurried off to his room and grabbed his swords. He put the belt around his hips and fastened the swords on each side. He went back out to the entrance hall and walked out to the street where the knights and Zelos were waiting for him. The knights looked disapprovingly at Lloyd but Zelos' smile banished the discomfort.

"Onward!" Zelos said with a cheerful smile. The two knights lead the way down the street as two more knights appeared, walking behind them. Lloyd walked next to Zelos and glanced to the two knights following. It felt more like they were leading prisoners rather than the Chosen One.

They soon arrived at the church and were greeted by the pope and a few more of the palpal knights at his side. "Ah, Chosen. You've finally arrived. Two of the knights will escort you down to receive the oracle. Your little servant boy can wait here." He spoke with a patronizing tone that caused Lloyd to scowl a bit. But he didn't dare say a word.

"Nah, Lloyd's coming with me. I don't need the knights." Zelos said with his unending supply of confidence.

The pope was taken aback at this. "Chosen One, I don't think that is a good idea." He said with a displeased frown.

"Don't worry. We'll be fine." Zelos waved dismissively before smiling to Lloyd. "Come on, Bud." He walked past the pope, leaving Lloyd in a slight shock before hurrying after Zelos a few seconds later.

"Hey, Zelos, are you sure that's a good idea?" Lloyd looked at the redhead as they walked to the door to enter the temple section of the church.

"Don't worry. I won't get in trouble." Zelos smiled. "Remember who you're dealing with!"

As Zelos placed a hand on the large, old wooden door, a voice called out to them.

"I will be accompanying you, Chosen one." A man dressed in violet with dark reddish-brown hair approached them. "The monsters inside might prove to be a bit much for you and your servant to handle."

"And who are you?" Zelos turned and looked at the man before glancing at the pope who was looking on with an approved expression.

"Kratos Aurion. I was hired to be your bodyguard."

"I don't need a bodyguard."

"That is not for you to decide."

Zelos stared at Kratos before heaving a sigh. "Why couldn't they at least give me a pretty girl bodyguard? Alright, let's go, Lloyd!"

Lloyd nodded before he glanced at Kratos. The older man was staring at him.

"Your name is Lloyd." Kratos looked at the brunette for confirmation.

Lloyd looked at him and raised a brow. "Yeah. So?"

"Nothing. Let's go." Kratos spoke coldly and detached as he walked ahead inside.

Lloyd looked at Zelos and Zelos looked at Lloyd. They stared at each other for a moment, shrugged in unison, and walked in after Kratos.

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Here's Chapter 1! Hope you guys enjoyed reading it and please review! It keeps me in high spirits and makes me write better! 8D Stick around. Chapter 2 is coming soon!


	3. The Chosen One

"Chosen One, are you sure it's safe for him to enter?" Kratos gave a glance at Lloyd which caused the young brunette to tense a bit in anger.

"It's perfectly fine." Zelos said confidently, looking down at his nails as he spoke.

"He'll just get in the way." Kratos crossed his arms.

"Well that's not for you to decide." Zelos countered smoothly.

"Hm.." Kratos turned to look at Lloyd doubtfully.

"Hey, I have an exsphere!" Lloyd said, taking off his glove and showing Kratos the exsphere on the back of his hand. "I can take care of myself and Zelos! So stop saying I'm weak!"

Kratos, though, didn't hear the second part of Lloyd's words. He was staring at the exsphere with eyes a bit wider than normal. Lloyd frowned and looked at him. "Is it so shocking for someone like me to have an exsphere or something!"

Kratos looked at Lloyd, his face blank of any emotion. "Yes." Was all he said before he turned and continued walking.

"Why you!" Lloyd clenched his fists before shoving his glove back on.

"Come on, Lloyd. Let's save all of that for the monsters. Though I'd like to give this guy a one-two myself." Zelos said with a small glare to Kratos' back. The two continued on regardless.

The three walked through the dark and old passages, fending off the monsters that impeded their path. Lloyd, despite being "just a servant" was a formidable fighter all things considering. Not only that, but the chemistry between him and Zelos were unstoppable. Their movements together were almost choreographed. A monster jumped at Zelos and Lloyd was there in a second, cutting it down. By the time it was dead, a warm green light washed over Lloyd, healing him before the dual swordsman ran at the next one. There was almost no place for Kratos except when there were too many monsters for the mercenary to back up with magic.

But it wasn't long before they arrived at the oracle. Zelos looked at the small red light in the center before turning to Lloyd and grinning. "Here I go. Wish me luck, Bud." He said giving Lloyd a wink and a thumbs up. Lloyd on the other hand was nervous. He nodded and smiled but felt stiff as he watched Zelos step up to the altar.

Zelos looked at the light and sighed slightly. It was time for the Chosen to start fulfilling his duty. It was then that a bright light appeared and descended through the ceiling. The light was blinding but when it faded, a woman floated in its place. Her hair was long and blonde and her eyes were as crystal blue as the sea. Her robes were flowing and green as white feathered wings flapped gently behind her, keeping her afloat.

"An angel…" Lloyd's eyes widened as he stared in wonder.

"I am Rynoa." Her voice was gentle and soft as she floated down to about five feet above the altar. "I am an angel of judgment. I am here to guide Zelos, the son of the mana lineage, on his journey to heaven as the seventh Chosen."

Rynoa then reached down and plucked the small red light from the altar. She moved to Zelos and held out her hand. The red light traveled from the angel's hand to Zelos' chest. As the red light faded, it became a red jewel. Around it was a gold mount. Extending from the mount was thin golden lines, wrapping around the base of his neck and reaching out to his shoulders as if vines were growing across Zelos' chest.

"From this moment, Zelos becomes the Chosen of Regeneration." Ryona backed off to float above the altar once more. "We of Cruxis bless this event and hereby bestow the Tower of Salvation upon the land of Tethe'alla."

Lloyd spotted Kratos looking out the window and he looked as well. His eyes widened. "That tower wasn't there before!" he said in shock as he went over to the window. "So that's the Tower of Salvation?" He looked at the large, thin, gray tower. It was so tall that it extended over the clouds, far out of sight. Zelos gave it a solemn glance before the angel continued to speak.

"Zelos, The Chosen of Regeneration. Unlock the seals that guard the Tower of Salvation and climb its stairs to heaven in distant lands." Ryona said, her hands clasped in front of her.

"Yeah, alright. You can count on me." Zelos said with a wink and a grin.

"Very good. We of Cruxis shall grant you the power of the angels with each seal you unlock. Once you are reborn as an angel, this eroded world shall be regenerated." The angel extended a hand to the window as if to show them the way. "The first seal is to the north. Offer your prayers in the Seal of Earth."

Zelos nodded. "Alright. Understood."

"We leave it in your hands, Chosen One." It was only moments before Ryona ascended once more and out of sight.

Zelos turned and smiled to Lloyd. "Well, Bud? How do I look? I'm officially the Chosen One now!" he said flipping his hair out of the way of the Cruxis Crystal.

Lloyd smiled at the redhead. "It suits you, Zelos." He said happily.

"It does, doesn't it?" Zelos looked down at it seriously before smiling again and walking towards them.

"Then let us go. The Pope should be awaiting our return." Kratos said simply as he turned and headed out first. Lloyd looked at Zelos carefully though, at first not paying attention to Kartos' words. But when Zelos himself called out to him, Lloyd was brought out of his thoughts and he hurried after them. Something had felt a bit off. But Lloyd would think about it later. For now, Zelos was going to leave on a journey and he had to see him off.

They soon found themselves in the large living room of Zelos' mansion. Zelos lounged on one of the couches as a messenger read aloud a letter from the pope. Lloyd was standing nearby the door, just listening while Kratos stood near a window. Normally, Lloyd would be shooed out of the room if something official was about to take place but Zelos insisted that he stay or he wouldn't listen to the message. The messenger had little choice.

"The mercenary, Kratos Aurion, will accompany the Chosen One on his journey. A representative of Mizuho will also join come the journey's start at dawn."

"Dawn?" Zelos whined, "Why so early? We'll leave later than that." He said, shaking his head.

The messenger faltered. "Ah, but.. Chosen One. The representative is scheduled to meet you at-"

"Oh yeah, and about that." Zelos said, standing up. "Lloyd's coming too."

"I what?"

"The.. The servant, Chosen?" the messenger was aghast at this. "But.. Chosen One! This is a holy journey of-"

"Yeah yeah, I know exactly what kind of journey this is. And I also know that this meeting is done. Thanks for coming, Sebastian will lead you to the door." Zelos said with a charming smile.

"Yes, Master Zelos." Sebastian said, suddenly right behind the messenger. The unfortunate individual jumped as Zelos quickly made his escape. Lloyd followed just as fast.

"Zelos! Zelos wait a second!" Lloyd grabbed the redhead's arm to stop him from walking. "You're going to get into tons of trouble for this. I'm not worth all that."

"Do you want to come with me?" Zelos looked at Lloyd. His blue eyes were sharp but they seemed to be hiding something.

Lloyd stared before he spoke. "Well yeah, but-"

"Then it's settled." And just like that, the look was gone. Zelos grinned happily. "You're coming! Besides, I can't leave behind my best Bud!"

Lloyd couldn't say no at this point. One, because when Zelos made up his mind, no one could change it. And two, he really had wanted to go. So the brunette just sighed before smiling. "Alright, alright." He said and Zelos grinned ever brighter.

"Then it's time to show you your new outfit!" Zelos announced as he continued down the hallway.

Lloyd raised a brow. "My new outfit? But the clothes I have on now are just fine." He said, stretching out his arms a bit. He wore simple black pants with a long sleeve white shirt that was a little loose on his shoulders and arms.

"But that's servant wear, Lloyd. We're going to travel the world! You have to look good!" Zelos wagged a finger at him with a smile and a wink. "Besides, I already arranged it with the tailor. Your outfit's done! So you have to wear it now!"

"It's done? But we just found out that we're leaving today!"

"You underestimate my foresight, hunnie~!" Zelos gave his confident grin before leading Lloyd off to one of the guest rooms. There, a small platform had already been set up for Lloyd to stand on with a full length mirror as well as a curtained off corner of the room. The moment Lloyd set foot in the room, two of the tailors grabbed him on either side.

"Come, this way!"

"Yes, we musn't waste time!"

The two tailors carried a shocked Lloyd off to the curtained corner. As Zelos sat down on a couch, legs crossed, and smirking slightly, he listened to Lloyd's struggles and protests as the tailors dressed him.

"Hey! Don't- ACK! Stop touching me-! I CAN PUT ON MY OWN PANTS!"

Moments later, Lloyd was shoved out in his new clothes.

"Lloyd! It fits you perfectly! And it really brings out your eyes!" Zelos said with obvious delight. The redhead stood up and tugged Lloyd onto the platform.

"It does?" he said, looking at himself.

"Yeah, bud. Red really is your color." Zelos smiled.

Lloyd looked over himself. He wore a long sleeved red shirt with gloves of a matching color. There was even a hole in one glove for his exsphere. Dark blue pants were held up by suspenders which actually looked good and not like an old man. And it was made complete by red boots to match his shirt.

"Yeah, it does look good. It's really comfortable too." Lloyd said with a grin. "I could fight in this!" The tailors gave him his swords and Lloyd put them on each side of his belt. He then took them out and struck a fighting pose in front of the mirror.

"Lloyd, you look so cool!" Zelos said with a happy grin.

A light blush crossed Lloyd's cheeks as he put the swords away and scratched his head. "Really? Haha.. Thanks…"

"We should definitely go on a group date tonight~!"

"No!"  


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Please don't forget to review! Thanks for reading! More coming soon~


	4. The Seal of Earth

"Oh the pope isn't here to see us off. He must be at his afternoon ceremonies. That's a shame!" Zelos said with a grin as he stood at the gates of Meltokio.

"You planned this didn't you?" Lloyd looked at him incredulously.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Lloyd." Zelos said with a more than satisfied smile.

They had been scheduled to leave at dawn, despite Zelos' protests. But by the time Lloyd had gotten everything packed, or rather, re-packed because he was absolutely sure he had done it the night before, gotten Zelos out of bed, and made breakfast that Zelos demanded despite their tardiness, they got to the gates of Meltokio with the sun high in the sky. It had to be near one o'clock without a doubt.

"You're finally here! I hope Zelos didn't give you any problems, Lloyd!" a familiar voice called out and Lloyd turned before smiling.

"No more so than usual. It's nice to see you, Sheena."

A well-endowed woman stood there dressed in pink and purple ninja garb. Her black hair was tied up into a ponytail and she wore a smile on her face.

"Sheena~!" Zelos ran over to her but immediately received a fist to the head.

"We're in for a looong journey, Zelos. Don't start." Sheena stared down at the cringing Chosen as her eyebrow twitched ever so slightly.

"I was just going to say hi!" Zelos gave a pout as Lloyd helped him to his feet.

"Then say it with your mouth! Not your hands!" Sheena shot back.

Zelos gave a smirk. "Oh I can do it with my mouth if you li-OW!" Once again, Sheena slammed her fist onto the side of Zelos' head.

"We won't get very far if you continue to abuse the Chosen." Kratos said, walking towards the gates.

"You must be the mercenary." Sheena said, looking at Kratos. She paid no mind to the pained Chosen as Lloyd helped him to his feet once again.

Kratos nodded. "Yes. I was hired to be the Chosen's bodyguard. Kratos Aurion." He extended a hand.

Sheena smiled and took it, shaking it politely. "I'm Sheena Fubayashi. Nice to meet you."

Kratos nodded curtly before letting go and looking over at Zelos. The redhead rubbed his head slightly before smiling to Lloyd. "Don't worry! No harm done!" he announced to the three of them. Sheena muttered something about no one caring. But Zelos was blissfully ignorant of this comment. "Let's get going then, shall we? Time's a wasting!"

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"I'm tiiiired~." Zelos whined.

"We've only been walking for an hour, Zelos." Lloyd said, looking at him.

"Why can't we take a rest?"

"Do you want to get to the Seal of Earth or not?" Sheena snapped, tired already of his complaining.

"Well of course I want to get there!" Zelos said with a pout. "But I'm still tired!"

Kratos meanwhile had said nothing while Zelos and Sheena continued to exchange words. Lloyd looked over to the tall male for a moment before looking ahead. There was something… a bit off about all of this. But before Lloyd could put his finger on it, a general consensus, that is, Zelos complaining, was made to take a break for lunch.

"I swear, Zelos. Sometimes you act like such a brat." Sheena said as she sat down. She watched Kratos use a spell to light the fire as Lloyd took out the materials to cook. "Oh, Lloyd. Why don't I cook? You cook all the time for this bozo, right?" the female ninja walked over and stood next to Lloyd with a smile.

"Huh? Well yeah but, I don't mind." Lloyd said, standing up straight with a pan in his hand.

"It's best to take turns with responsibilities while on this journey." Kratos said, sitting down and leaning back against a tree.

"I guess." Lloyd said with a nod before he smiled to Sheena. "Okay. If you need help, just tell me, alright?"

"Ah.. Yeah." Sheena smiled back, though her cheeks looked a bit pinker.

The afternoon continued as easy as it could. Sheena's cooking was surprisingly good, a comment Zelos was unfortunate to make and it earned him another bump on the head. Sheena, in fact, found it easier to speak with Kratos of their coming journey than to Zelos or Lloyd. And Zelos preferred it that way. Three bumps in an hour. It was officially a new record. Lloyd, of course, made sure he was okay before settling down. Sometimes the redhead did overdo it.

The brunette looked down at himself. He was wearing the clothes Zelos had gotten made for him. They had already fought a few battles and the clothes defended him well. They were made of a strong material but gave him free movement. Lloyd tried not to think about how much that would have cost. Instead he paid more attention to Zelos who seemed to be yammering on about how in the next city they visit, they just HAD to spend the night there and get a few hunnies for the night. Lloyd fervently refused.

Even after lunch was done, the four of them just rested for about half an hour, gently conversing over the fire. Lloyd wondered if every day would be like this. Travelling with a relaxed and happy atmosphere. Though of course, they had to get going soon and Kratos was the first to stand.

"We should get to the Seal before night falls." He said as he kicked dirt into the fire to extinguish it. Sheena stood as well and agreed. And so they were on their way once again.

It would be sundown in another hour when they arrived at the Temple of Earth. The door was sealed shut.

"How are we supposed to get in?" Sheena frowned as she looked around. She then looked at Zelos. "Do you know?"

"How should I know?" Zelos frowned, leaning on a nearby tablet. Though at his touch, the tablet seemed to react. It glowed and the large stone door shuddered before slowly opening. Loose small rocks fell to the ground before, with a large bang, the door was completely open.

"It looks like it hasn't been opened for years!" Lloyd said with wide eyes before he looked at Zelos. "Good job."

"Of course!" Zelos said, hiding his surprise behind a wide and confident grin.

Sheena just rolled her eyes as they headed inside.

"Ugh, it is so humid in here. This can't be good for my hair…" Zelos muttered as they walked through the cave-like hallway.

"Don't worry. I brought your brush. You can fix it when we leave." Lloyd said with a small sigh.

"Thanks, bud! You know what's important!" Zelos said, happily hugging Lloyd as they walked.

"Oh Martel…" Sheena smacked her forehead with an exasperated sigh. "Can you stop worrying about your hair and worry about the Seal you have to release? Start acting like a Chosen One!"

"Ah! Sheena! You wound me! I can't look like a ragged puff ball and be Chosen-like!" Zelos seemed genuinely insulted. "Looks are very important!"

Sheena was about to retaliate when Kratos spoke up. "Stop bickering. We don't know how safe this cave is. It might collapse if we speak too loud." He said simply.

Sheena and Zelos paled ever so slightly before they fell silent. Lloyd could have sworn he saw Kratos relax slightly. He was a bit relieved as well. He didn't want them to be arguing the entire way to the seal…

The seal, though, was easily found. They walked through a cave before walking quite slowly across a rickety wooden bridge. Zelos was clinging to Lloyd's arm with every step and only released him when their feet were on solid rock. Soon enough, they stood before the seal. It looked a lot like the one that had held Zelos' cruxis crystal in the temple at Meltokio. The Chosen sighed slightly before he took a few steps forward. The altar glowed with a brownish, reddish light before a giant brown dragon emerged from it.

"It's the guardian of the seal!" Kratos took out his sword. "We must defeat it! Chosen! Back up!"

"Hurry Zelos!" Lloyd took out his swords, running over to him. Zelos quickly moved back just as the dragons sharp claws swiped at him, missing him by inches. Lloyd swung one of his swords, catching the dragon's foot and giving it a gash. It roared in pain and growled, glaring at Lloyd. The four backed up as Zelos took out his sword.

"AUGH!" Lloyd was suddenly thrown back as the dragon swung its tail around and hit him square in the stomach. Lloyd flew several feet before rolling and then… the floor beneath him was gone.

He was falling.

"NO!" Lloyd grabbed the edge of the cliff with the tips of his fingers but he knew that wouldn't hold for long. He was going to fall if he didn't do anything. Lloyd looked down and paled. He felt dizzy as he stared down into the unending blackness of a seemingly bottomless pit. Though he didn't stare for long.

"I got you, Lloyd!" Zelos had grabbed Lloyd's wrist and was proceeding to pull him back up onto the cliff.

"Lloyd, are you alright?" Sheena called as Zelos pulled him back up. A large guardian that Sheena had summoned was enveloping them in a green, glowing shield. The dragon was right outside, blowing fire with all its might. Lloyd panted and fell to his knees as Zelos held him.

"Are you injured?" Kratos looked at him, kneeling down. His hands were glowing green, readying a healing spell which made his stomach pain go away very easily.

"I'm.. I'm okay. Thanks." Lloyd nodded, standing up.

"You worried me, Bud." Zelos said, a relieved look crossing his features.

"Sorry." Lloyd smiled. Zelos gave him his swords back which had flown out of his hands.

"Well then. If you're fine, let's kick this dragon's butt! No one gets away with hurting _my _Lloyd and getting away with it!" Zelos said, pulling out his sword again.

"Seconded!" Sheena said with a grin as she nodded. The guardian lowered the shield and the four of them rushed at the large earth reptile.

It was down in a matter of minutes. The dragon's corpse disappeared as Zelos healed a burn on Lloyd's arm. Suddenly a voice from the altar called out.

"Chosen of Regeneration. Offer your prayers at the altar!" Ryona's voice sounded far away, and yet clear.

Zelos looked at the altar before looking at Lloyd. Lloyd gave him a gentle, reassuring smile and the redhead smiled in return, nodding.

Zelos walked forward and faltered for a moment. "Um.. what was I supposed to say again…?" he muttered before suddenly remembering. "Ah that's right! Goddess Martel! Give me your strength!" he chirped up as if answering a question in a classroom.

Suddenly, a bright light from above descended as the brown light returned to hover gently over the altar. The bright light took shape and Ryona smiled softly.

"The guardian of the seal has fallen and the first seal has been released. Gnome will surely awaken soon. In the name of Cruxis, I will grant you the power of the angels." Ryona stretched out her hands and they began to glow.

Lloyd watched as Zelos' back was engulfed in a soft orange light before they collected into the shape of wings. They pulled the redhead up a few feet, moving as gently as a butterfly's wing beat. Lloyd's eyes widened as he watched this but he couldn't see Zelos' face since he had his back to him.

"The angel transformation will not be without pain but it is for one night. Be strong and endure." Ryona said softly. "The next seal lies at the southern tip of this continent. Offer your prayers in that distant land."

Zelos nodded with a smile. "You got it."

"I shall await you at the next seal, Chosen of Regeneration." Rynoa said before ascending out of sight.

Slowly, Zelos touched back down before turning to the other three.

"Zelos.. you have wings!" Lloyd's eyes were still wide and he went over to him.

"Heh, cool aren't they?" Zelos said with a grin.

"So you're going to become an angel?" Sheena said looking at the redhead and Zelos nodded.

"That is the process. By becoming an angel, the Chosen One will restore mana to the land." Kratos said, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"That's so cool, Zelos!" Lloyd said with a grin. "We really are saving the world!"

Zelos laughed slightly and nodded. "Yep. That's right! Now come on! Let's get out of here. I've had enough of this cave!"

"I agree with Zelos. Let's go." Sheena nodded.

The group made their way back to the exit after Zelos had his wings disappear. But as they walked, Lloyd noticed Zelos walking slower and slower. When they arrived at the exit, Zelos was pale and out of breath.

"Zelos.. are you okay?" Lloyd looked at him concerned.

"I'm… fine.. I…" Zelos put his hand on his forehead before he fell to his knees.

"Zelos!" Lloyd ran to him and took off his gloves, putting a hand on his forehead. "You're burning up! What happened?"

"This must be the trial that the angel told us about." Kratos said, looking at them. "We'll set up camp for the night."

Lloyd looked at Zelos worriedly. "Don't worry, Zelos. You'll be okay…"

* * *

I think this chapter was a bit rushed. Maybe I'll re-write it later. XD But yeah, thanks for reading! Please enjoy and don't forget to review! It's what keeps me going and inspired! Thanks!


	5. Cream Stew

WHAT? I UPDATED THIS STORY? WHAAAT?

Shocking, isn't it? I'm so sorry that its taken me PRETTY MUCH A YEAR TO UPDATE. God I'm so ashamed. Life SEVERELY got in the way. BUT I PLAN TO UPDATE THIS MORE OFTEN. This is like, NUMBER ONE PROJECT.

Please remember to review! It keeps me happy and going. In fact, what reminded me of this story was a review I got a couple weeks ago! SEE THE POWER OF REVIEWS?

But anyway, I really hope you guys enjoy this SEVERELY DELAYED chapter.

* * *

Red was bleeding into the rapidly darkening sky. The sun was setting. It was a sight that, back at the mansion, Lloyd often loved to watch, whenever he got the chance. But this time, he didn't give the darkening sky a second glance.

Zelos laid on a sleeping mat, covered by a blanket and Lloyd was right there at his side. The brunette sighed for what had to be the sixth time. The moment they had finished setting up camp, Zelos had collapsed onto his mat and promptly fell asleep. Lloyd told himself that Zelos would be okay. He reminded himself that the redhead's fever was going down, but he couldn't help but feel anxious. He wanted to help somehow. He wanted to make Zelos feel better. But he knew there was nothing he could do.

Lloyd looked down at Zelos' chest, then. Tracing the pattern of gold that wound around Zelos' neck and shoulders with the Cruxis Crystal as the centerpiece. Lloyd couldn't help but feel a bit of contempt for the small jewel. It was causing Zelos to suffer… Lloyd shook his head and closed his eyes. Zelos was going to be fine. The angels wouldn't put the Chosen One through a trial that would kill them, after all. Zelos was supposed to save the world and the angels were supposed to help him. Every road had bumps. This was just one of them.

"Hey, Bud. You okay?"

Lloyd's eyes snapped open to meet with Zelos' crystal blue ones. "You're awake!" he gasped before registering the other's words and huffing. "Me? I should be asking you that! You've been with a fever for the past couple hours!"

"I have?" Zelos put his hand to his own forehead and shrugged. "I feel fine."

Lloyd blinked and moved Zelos' hand out of the way before checking himself. He was right. The fever didn't break, it had disappeared completely. "It's gone…" he muttered in slight wonder.

Zelos looked at Lloyd and smiled a bit. "I bet it's 'cause I had my best buddy right here. I'm telling you, man, you have some sort of healing powers." He said, sitting up and stretching as if he was waking up from a nap. Lloyd couldn't help but release a small chuckle at Zelos' matter of factly tone. "Hey, hey, don't laugh." The redhead grinned despite his words. "You've always been there with your magical cooking to heal me up."

Lloyd laughed and shook his head. "Speaking of, I think food should be ready by now. I made some cream stew." He smiled, knowing that Zelos loved this whenever he made it. Lloyd often saved it for occasions when Zelos was sick or feeling particularly down and it would always light up the redhead's face.

This time was no exception. "Yes~!" Zelos chirped, immediately getting up and practically skipping over to the campfire with surprising vitality.

"You're awake?" Sheena was shocked as the redhead sauntered right past her in order to peek into the pot that was simmering over the campfire.

"Yep!" Zelos grinned, taking a deep breath of the food in the pot. Lloyd walked over as Zelos stood straight and smiled to him. "Come on, Lloyd." He said, sitting and grabbing a bowl from their bag. He held it out to the brunette. "Feed me!"

"Really? Why can't you get it yourself?" Sheena huffed, even as Lloyd took the bowl to serve the redhead.

"Because Lloyd is here." Zelos said as if it was obvious.

"Zelos!" Sheena stood up, scowling, "Lloyd isn't some kind of slave!"

"Sheena, its okay." Lloyd stood in front of the ninja and held out a calming hand. "Don't worry about it. Zelos doesn't mean that in a bad way."

"Sheena, I'm hurt!" How did Zelos get behind her? "How could you even believe that I would treat Lloyd like that? I think I deserve some compensation-"

Sheena whirled around and kicked Zelos in the stomach when she felt his hands roaming to a place they shouldn't be. The redhead fell back and rubbed his stomach before letting out a very Zelos-like whine.

"Sheeenaaaa~!" he pouted, "Girls are supposed to be delicate flowers! You're not cute when you're so violent!"

"You sort of deserved it, Zelos." Lloyd said, walking over with a bowl full of soup and quickly putting himself in the middle as Sheena looked about ready to smack the redhead again. These words, though, defused the situation. Zelos pouted as he admitted that he may have went too far and Sheena calmed as someone took her side.

The ninja returned to the campfire to serve herself before looking around. "Hey, where's that guy, Kratos?"

Lloyd looked around, then, and noticed for the first time that the mercenary wasn't at camp. "I don't know. I was with Zelos this whole time." He muttered thoughtfully.

"And I was asleep." Zelos announced as he held the full bowl in one hand and a spoon in the other.

"Hm." Sheena hummed thoughtfully as she sat down with a bowl of her own. "He'll probably come running back when he smells this food, though." She smiled a bit and immediately began digging in.

Lloyd smiled a bit at the compliment, though before serving himself, he looked out at the woods near the camp. He stared at the trees for a moment before leaning down to fill his bowl.

The three of them ate and Sheena was the first to reach for seconds, which was surprising since Zelos was usually the most eager. Lloyd looked over to the redhead and tilted his head slightly when he saw the Chosen staring at the half done bowl and slowly playing with the food, swirling the liquid around.

Lloyd moved over and sat next to him. "Is something wrong, Zelos?"

"Hm?" Zelos looked up as if he just noticed Lloyd was there. When he connected eyes with his, he flashed his usual grin. "No, there's nothing wrong!" he said with a nod. "It's as good as ever. But maybe I'm sicker than I thought. I lost my appetite." Zelos laughed slightly. "Must be that fever you were talking about."

Lloyd frowned slightly with worry before he nodded at the reason. It made perfect sense. "Alright. Well, if you don't want to eat, you should go get some more rest." He said and the redhead was quick to agree.

"Yeah I think I will. G'Night!" Zelos stood, leaving the half filled bowl beside Lloyd before moving back to the tent.

Lloyd watched him go before looking down at the food Zelos had left. The scraps of food where squished and shredded as if Zelos had been playing with it for a while. Maybe he really didn't have the appetite. Maybe he was sicker than Lloyd had thought. Would it be okay for them to continue their journey the next morning?

"Don't mind him, Lloyd." Lloyd looked up at the sound of Sheena's voice, having momentarily forgotten she was there. The ninja smiled at him. "The food's really good."

Lloyd forced the smile through his worries and nodded. "Thanks. Glad you like it." He said before continuing to eat his own food.

Later on, Sheena volunteered to clean up the campsite and put away the leftover food as Lloyd took the dirty dishes to the nearby river. As he washed them, he heard something rustling in the bushes. Lloyd immediately took out his swords, locking his eyes onto the source of the disturbance, but then stopped. It was Zelos. He was slowly walking back to camp. Was it just the moonlight or did Zelos look more pale than usual? What was he doing out so late? Didn't he say that he was going to go to bed?

Lloyd slowly put away his swords and was about to go after the redhead when a hand gripped his shoulder.

Lloyd gasped and whipped out his swords again, whirling around. Two clangs, and his swords were knocked aside.

The brunette felt a cold blade at his throat.

Lloyd's breath hitched as he followed the blade gleaming in the moonlight up to the hand that was holding it, then the man standing in front of him with that self-important air about him and his relaxed stance. But there was that familiar displeased frown on his face.

"You're self-taught, aren't you?" Kratos said as he lowered his sword.

"Yeah, so?" Lloyd scowled slightly and stepped back, retrieving his swords.

"Do you think you can protect the Chosen like that?" The mercenary's expression didn't change as Lloyd turned to glare at him.

"I'm protecting Zelos just fine!" Lloyd snapped, growing a bit tense at the man who was constantly putting him down.

"You were the one who fell first." Kratos said simply.

"Excuse me?" There was a hint of challenge in Lloyd's voice.

"When we were fighting the Guardian of the Seal." Kratos narrowed his eyes a fraction. "Zelos had to save you."

Lloyd stopped at that. Kratos was right. He _had_ fallen first. If it hadn't been for Zelos grabbing him, he probably would have died. The brunette stared at the older man for a second, silent because he didn't have a comeback. Silent, because the bastard had a _point._

Kratos shook his head as if expecting this reaction and it caused Lloyd's anger to flare up again. "You need a proper teacher." Kratos said before the young brunette could yell at him. "You don't know the first thing about battling monsters and you're lucky to have lasted this long."

"Oh yeah?" Lloyd grit his teeth. "Then if you're so good, why don't you teach me, Mr. I'm-So-Much-Better-Than-Everyone-Else!" The dual swordsman growled challengingly.

Kratos raised his eyebrow at this before he shook his head. "I don't have time for temperamental brats." He said before he turned and headed back to the camp.

"I'm no brat!" Lloyd glared at Kratos' retreating back and seethed at the lack of reaction from the mercenary. The brunette turned and roughly finished washing the bowls before taking them back to the camp and putting them away. He noticed Kratos sitting nearby the campfire, presumably taking the first watch, but paid no attention to him. With a huff, Lloyd moved to the tent that he shared with Zelos.

As the flap of the tent closed behind him, Lloyd's aggression was immediately calmed. Zelos was laying on his mat, deep in a restless sleep. The boy was turning and readjusting every couple seconds and instead of a peaceful expression, Zelos' eyebrows were slightly knotted. The brunette frowned and remembered Zelos returning to the camp on his own and wondered how he could have easily forgotten about him because of some bastard mercenary.

Some bastard mercenary who was pointing out his every flaw with frightening accuracy.

He wasn't very well trained. He was temperamental. He was a brat. Lloyd frowned and watched Zelos sleep. He needed someone better than Lloyd at his side.

After a few moments, the brunette turned and left the tent again, walking towards the campfire. He looked at Kratos who had an empty bowl of cream stew at his feet.

"Teach me." Lloyd spoke quietly.

It was frighteningly silent. It seemed like the night's creatures had even silenced as if they too held their breath in anticipation of the mercenary's response. Kratos didn't move for several moments, though it felt like hours.

Lloyd was scared.

The brunette quickly moved to his knees and bent down his head in a humble manner. "Please. _Please_teach me." His voice had a soft, desperate tone to it that surprised even Lloyd. But he didn't dare look up from the grass at which he was staring at.

It seemed like days, though Lloyd was sure it was only a couple seconds. Then he heard it.

"Go to sleep. We'll do it another night." Kratos said gruffly. When Lloyd looked up, he saw the mercenary staring stoically into the fire but the brunette couldn't help but feel a bit happy.

When the brunette returned to his tent and laid down in his mat beside Zelos', he frowned. Why was he so damn happy about the bastard teaching him? But he couldn't turn back now. He had asked and Kratos had accepted.

There was nothing more to be done. So Lloyd obediently fell asleep, laying on his side, facing the redhead who seemed to be a bit more at peace ever since Lloyd had joined him.

* * *

"Can't wait, can't wait~!" Zelos sang as he skipped on ahead from the group which was different from their usual formation. Lloyd smiled a bit and hurried after him. Since they were heading back south, they'd pass by Meltokio. They had decided to rest there at Zelos' mansion before setting off to the next seal since it was roughly halfway. The redhead had been completely elated at the idea, announcing that he already missed his bed even though it had only been a couple nights.

"Don't go so fast, Zelos!" Sheena frowned as she picked up her pace. "We still have a while to go. You'll be tired again before we get there!"

"I'll be fine, but thanks for worrying about me, hunny~"

"Who's worried?"

Zelos grinned at the predictable response as they scaled the last of the hills that surrounded the area of the Temple of Earth. Lloyd wondered which temple was next. Maybe they had a few books on it or they could probably find a couple maps. Regardless, he hoped the next temple had less hills.

Zelos hurried up the hill with a grin, knowing that from the top of this one, they'd be able to see Meltokio in the distance. But Lloyd watched as the redhead stopped in his tracks. The brunette frowned slightly and hurried after him. Zelos' face was one of shock and horror and it was easy to see why.

You could, indeed, see Meltokio in the distance.

Smoke was rising up from burning buildings. Echoes of screams wafted across the plains that surrounded the city. Several vehicles were fleeing the crumbling metropolis, many of them not human made.

"Desians…" Lloyd heard Kratos mutter from behind them.

Zelos ran. Sprinted. Lloyd was at his heels.

* * *

WAT WAT? CLIFFHANGER?

No but seriously, I promise I'll update soon. I won't leave you guys like this again. PLEASE REVIEW! LOVE ME?


	6. Picking Up

Hey guys! I'm back again with another update!

Here's some big news. Come November, I'm going to be participating in NaNoWriMo. For those of you who don't know what that is, its when you write a 50k word novel in the span of 30 days. From November 1st to November 30th. Due to this, I won't be updating during November. Do expect an update come December, though!

Please don't forget to review as it keeps me motivated and inspired!

But biggest of all and most importantly, please enjoy!

* * *

When the foursome ran in through the gates of Meltokio, it was not the sight they had expected when they woke up this morning. The usual pristine buildings were crumbling and burning. The store that Lloyd often shopped for groceries was half destroyed and the shop keeper was nowhere to be seen among the people trying to put the fire out. The inn was crumbling with windows broken and scorch marks on the walls, probably having been the first building they decided to salvage. Many of the women and children who were left filed inside, making food for the men who were trying to reclaim their city.

Zelos gave them all a single glance before he rushed past and to the stairs that lead to the upper district. Lloyd followed. He was concerned about the rest of Meltokio but it was only natural to want to see how your own house was doing first. But the higher they went up the stairs, the less destruction there was.

Instead of burning and collapsing, the mansions at the noble district just looked slightly ruffled. Windows were broken and doors smashed in, but there were no fire or crumbling walls to be seen. Lloyd frowned at this but continued to follow the redhead. He noticed that only Kratos was following. Sheena had probably stayed downstairs in order to help the other citizens. _He's just doing his job and following the Chosen…_Lloyd thought bitterly as they finally made it to the Wilder mansion.

The door was smashed in and as they entered, they saw an all too familiar sight that looked horribly out of place.

"Welcome home, Master Zelos, Lloyd." Sebastian stood up and bowed as they entered, his tuxedo ruffled as he had been helping the maids try to clean up.

"Sebastian!" Zelos' eyes widened slightly, but there was a note of relief in his voice. "What's going on?"

"The Desians attacked, sir." Sebastian explained as Lloyd hurried forward to help a maid struggling to right a tossed over couch. "The nobles were all taken into the castle along with the pope and his knights. We were not allowed entry but we managed to hide in the cellar safehouse. We all made it, though it seemed the lower quarters were hit a great deal harder."

Lloyd frowned and looked at Sebastian. "Why weren't you allowed in the castle?"

Sebastian looked at him silently for a moment before he spoke. "It is not for me to say, Lloyd.."

"It's a simple reason." Kratos had his arms crossed. "They're servants. They weren't important enough to protect. Just like the lower districts."

Lloyd's eyes widened. "What are you talking about? The king wouldn't just abandon his city and hide away in his castle!"

"Actually, that sounds about right, Lloyd." Zelos frowned, a grim look on his face. "That's probably exactly what they did. Hid away in the castle and then left everyone else to fend for themselves."

"That's…!" Lloyd stared at Zelos in shock.

Zelos walked over and placed his hands on Lloyd's shoulders. "Come on, let's clean up and we'll figure this out later."

Lloyd looked up at Zelos' crystal blue eyes which were slightly more reliable looking than usual. He felt slightly calmed by the redhead's presence and nodded slightly. "Okay.." he muttered. Zelos nodded in return and offered a small smile before they got to work.

They all helped clean up. Even Kratos helped with some of the more heavy lifting. As they pulled off the shredded curtains and righted the furniture, Lloyd would find himself looking out the window and searching for any more signs of flames or smoke. Luckily there was none. It seemed that the rest of the city had things under control. With that thought in the back of his mind, Lloyd was more easily able to help clean up the mansion.

It was only a couple hours later that a thought struck his mind like a slap in the face. He dropped his side of a couch he was helping Kratos carry and rushed out the room.

"Hey!" Lloyd heard Kratos call but he didn't stop. The brunette rushed out of the mansion and to the back garden where he shoved several bushes aside to access his own secret corner.

His mother's memorial was untouched. Lloyd breathed a sigh of relief and fell to his knees in front of the simple stone tablet. "Ah.. Mom.. I'm glad you're okay…" Lloyd whispered, running his hand across the lettering that spelled his mother's name.

"Anna…?"

Lloyd turned to see Kratos standing behind him. The brunette immediately stood up and put himself between the mercenary and his mother's memorial.

"What are you doing?" Lloyd said quickly, his voice a smidge higher through shock that someone had found his secret spot. No one but Zelos and Sebastian knew of the memorial. Not even any of the maids.

Kratos looked at Lloyd and it was then that the young swordsman noticed the change in expression in the mercenary's eyes. They looked almost- And then it was gone…

"I followed you because I was wondering what was making you panic so much." Kratos said, his eyes returning to that blocked off, stoic aura. "What is this?"

Lloyd frowned slightly at this but he stepped to the side to allow Kratos to see. "Um. My mom died when I was little and my dad left me. I don't remember either of them, just mom's name." He glanced back at the small stone tablet. "Sebastian and Zelos helped me make this since I don't have a grave to visit my mom at. I think she's okay with it." He spoke softly before he frowned and shook his head. "But you probably don't care about this anyway. I don't even know why I'm telling you this." Lloyd glanced at Kratos before moving to walk past him. "We should finish inside the mansion."

"Your dad left you?"

Lloyd stopped and turned to look at the redheaded mercenary. Kratos was still staring at the small humble memorial. The mercenary then gave a small, almost indignant, chuckle. "I see." He muttered before looking at Lloyd. The brunette couldn't help but sense something stirring underneath the surface even if Kratos looked completely normal. "We have to finish cleaning up, don't we? Let's go, Lloyd." He said before walking off, back across the yard and into the mansion. Lloyd frowned slightly and looked back at the memorial and sighed, a bit confused, but turned to follow Kratos inside.

"What…?" Lloyd's eyes were wide as he stared at Sheena.

"Don't make me say it again, Lloyd." The ninja sighed slightly, hugging herself. "The entire Slums is empty. It's a ghost town. I looked everywhere but there wasn't a soul. The middle class had about a quarter of their people taken but the entirety of the Slums is gone."

"That's… not possible." Lloyd glanced back at the mansion. They were standing in the front yard. Lloyd had seen Sheena coming and walked out to meet her. It was only then that he had noticed her grim disposition. "That's too many people."

"I know." Sheena frowned and shook her head. "But it's true. I asked around and the Desians took truckloads of people off towards the mountains."

"Then they know where their base is." Lloyd had a spark of hope in his tone. "So they'll send the army there for a rescue, right?"

Sheena looked down. "Lloyd…"

That single utter of his name made his stomach drop.

"I don't think they have any plans for a rescue mission." Sheena looked at Lloyd like a parent telling their child that every fairy tale they believed wasn't true. Like someone telling him how the real world worked.

That things weren't as ideal as they first imagined it to be.

"But how can they not?" Lloyd's voice was raising a bit in volume. "They're citizens of Meltokio! How can the king or the pope not want to rescue them!"

"Lloyd, lower your voice…" Sheena frowned, glancing around. "You'll get in trouble, shouting like that."

Lloyd looked around. There were several people who had been walking down the sidewalk who were now stopping to stare at Lloyd. Even several guards took notice. Guards that were perfectly clean with shining armor and going through their patrols like everything was the same.

A wave of anger and indifference towards these people washed over him and Lloyd moved to walk past Sheena. If she wasn't going to give him answers, someone will.

"Lloyd, where are you going?" Sheena called after him as Lloyd walked across the front yard of the mansion.

"I'm going to get some answers!" Lloyd called over his shoulder.

He made his way to the castle.

He must have looked threatening. After an attack on the city, Lloyd would look back on this and wonder what the hell he was thinking. He was an angry dual swordsman running up to the castle. Of course the guards would stop him.

"Hey! Let me through!" Lloyd growled. "I want to talk to the king!"

The guards stood in front of Lloyd and scowled at him. "You're not going in!" he said, gripping his weapon.

Lloyd, on reaction, gripped the hilt of one of his swords. This caused the guards to tense. "Put your weapons down!" they shouted at him, "And put your hands up!"

"I said I want to talk to the king! I'm not going to hurt anyone!" Lloyd insisted, slightly aghast that they were assuming he was dangerous.

"If you don't comply, you'll be under arrest!" One of the guards growled, stepping forward.

Lloyd stepped back with a growl.

"What is going on out here?" Lloyd looked past the two guards and saw the King exit the castle with his personal guard at his shoulders.

"Your Highness!" Lloyd stepped forward. Something he shouldn't have done. The guards rushed forward and grabbed Lloyd's arms, holding him back. "H-Hey!" Lloyd struggled against their holds.

"Your Majesty!" the guard said quickly. "Please get back to the castle! We will take care of this ruffian!"

"I'm not going to hurt anyone!" Lloyd shouted in indignation and then looked at the king. "You! Your people are suffering! The Desians took so many of the citizens! Why won't you do anything! Why are you letting the Desians get away with this!"

The king looked taken aback at this brash address towards him. No one dared to talk to him in such a way. Not even the Pope spoke to him so forwardly. "I did what I could. I will not send what little defenses this city has left on a suicide mission." He said with a frown.

"But they're YOUR people! YOUR city!" Lloyd growled. "Why-?"

"That's enough, Lloyd."

"Chosen!" one of the guards' eyes widened.

Lloyd looked back to see Zelos standing there with a frown. "Zelos!" his eyes were wide.

"Commoner! Don't address the Chosen One so casually!" Lloyd felt a sting of pain as one of the guards smacked him across the cheek. Lloyd hissed slightly in pain before he felt a tug as someone grabbed the back of his shirt.

"Let him go." Zelos' voice sounded serious. So serious it made Lloyd think twice about if that was even Zelos. But the guards released him and Lloyd felt Zelos pull him away from the two guards. He stumbled back slightly to stand at the redhead's side. "He's with me." Zelos said, crossing his arms and frowning.

The guards frowned at this and looked back at the king who nodded slightly in response. They stood aside.

Lloyd looked at them before looking back at the king, trying a calmer tone. He felt more at ease with Zelos at his side. "Please! You have to at least try to save them."

"I told you. I do not have supplies or the men to spare." The king frowned and shook his head. "It's impossible. I must protect what is left of the city rather than leave it defenseless."

Lloyd gritted his teeth at this and looked down before looking at Zelos. "Then we'll have to go get them." He said softly.

Zelos looked at Lloyd with slightly wide eyes. "Eh?"

"Zelos! The people were taken to the Human Ranch off to the mountains! We know where they are, we can't just leave them, right?" Lloyd looked at Zelos, almost pleadingly.

The redhead stared at his best friend for several moments before looking at the king. "Well. You heard him. We'll take it from here, Your Majesty!" Zelos flashed a smile and gave a casual wave before turning to walk back down the stairs.

Lloyd's eyes lit up before he turned and bowed to the king. "I'm sorry for the trouble!" he said quickly before hurrying after Zelos.


End file.
